Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-06-21

Be'Ax an sditoriai from Dsisv sfs 'Oasstts
u n tday December q la7A

"WI6AAINsToN.-The borough of
Wilmington IL beautifully situated on
q rising ground between the Chris
llama aud BrandywiAe creeks, which
at this place are about three. iourths
of mile distant from each other, and
uniting below the town, join the Del
aware at the distance of about mile
and half from their junction, In a
stream four hundred yards wide at the
mouth. The situation Is high and
pheasant, commanding a fine view OF
the river Delaware. and has generally
been esteemed remarkably healthy.
The Christiana admits OF vessels OF IA
feet drSught of water, to the town,
which is about three miles from It's
mouth; and those of six feet draught
Is miles farther. by Its course TO the
town of Christiana or Christiana
bridge. which is nine miles distant
by land, where the navigation ends.
The Rrandywine admits vessels of
seven feet draught of water to the
mills, which stand on the northeast
side of the borough.
The town Is regularly laid ont in
squares, similar to Philadelphia, and
contained. when the last census was
taken, s94 dwelling 4housss, chiefly of
brick, and 1913 inhabitants, TO which
u considerable number has been added
since. 1t is 81 miles from Philadel.
phia, about 20 from Baltimore, 40
from Lancaster, Id from Dover, which
Ia the seat of government tor the State
and five from New Castle, which Is
the seat of justice for the county.
1t has nine places of public worship.
of which two are occupied by Presby-
terians. one by white and two by col
ored Msthoiists, one by Swedish
Episcopalians Or Lutherans, who have
an Episcopal clergyman to oiliciate
for them, and which was built in the
year 1897, one by Friends, one by
Baptists and one by Roman Catholics.
There are two ina ket houses, which
are plentifully supplied with the finest
provisions from the adjacent country
and from the State of New Jersey, In
which respect we are not perhaps sur
passed by any town Of equal size in the
country.
We have town hall situated in a
central part Of the town, built of brick,
sixty feet long by forty eight feet deep,
in which the Town Council and most
of the public companies of the place
hold their meetings; poorhouse o.
the west end of the town, one bundled
and twenty feet by forty, built OF
stone and three stories high; for the
reoeptionGf the paupers of the county;
. st0nc hyilding which is used as an
academy, and was once supported with
considerable reputation, but has of late
been much neglected.
The Latin classics are, however still
taught in it, and there are several
other schools ia the town at which a
large number OF children are educated
those conducted by Messrs. Hlles for
the instruction Of females, and by Mr..
Bullock for that of males, have de
servedly attracted the attention of IN
|dividuals ut distance, many of whose
children have been placed under their
care
The police OF the borough consist of
First and Second Burgess. thirteen
|Councilmen, an Assessor, q Treasurer
and High Constable, who are elected
ANNUALLY in May, and Council may ap
point as many petit constables and
other officers as they may see proper
for the regulation of trade and the ex-
ecution OF its ordinances.
1t was incorporated into q Borough
| by letters patent from Geo. Thomas,
Governor of the counties OF New
Castle, Kent and Sussex upon Della
ware, and of Pennsylvania bearing
date the 9th day Of November, 1889,
since which time the charter has re.
ceived several alterations.
An attempt was made at the session
of Legislature of the State in 1921, to
erect it INTO city, but failed in conse
quence of the opposition Of large
lportion of the citizens, who were ap
iprehensive that it would be attended
with much additional expense. Var
ious attempts have been made to make
it the seat Of government for the State
as it is the largest town in it, and the
Accommodations for the members o.
the Legislature would be much supe
rior to those now enjoyed by them, bu
its local situation being far from cen
trial, has generally prevented the &C
accomplishment OF this object; once
however, it was defeated by the oppo
sition Of member from New Castl
icounty.
There were at one lime about q
sail OF square-rigged vessels, besides
lschooners, etc, belonging to the plac
land employed in foreign commerce
ibut in consequence of some of tn
merchants by whom they were owne
having declined business, and other
having removed their residence, ther
are at present none owned IN tk
: place; but number Of manufscturin
establishments have grown up in til
VICINITY of it, and the quantity {
trade which is carried on in it is yer
considerable.
u There is computed to be about tw
hundred stores, and the quantity O
foreign goods of various kinds, whic
fare annually sold in them, is estimate
at value of two or three millions G
dollars, the principal part of which
purchased in Philadelphia, and til
|short distance with which we are SCI
laratcd from that city, and which
$50 much larger as to swallow up til
foreign trade ofthe surrounding town
(which are not supported by legislativ
provisions from their own States,
lsupp0sed to have been u principal in
Irediment in the way of our success
nj iny, n